See the Patriots 2013 schedule here
New England Patriots fans, get your calenders out. The NFL 2013 schedule was released last night, and here are the details:
1 Sept. 8 @ Buffalo Bills - 1:00pm CBS
2 Sept. 12 vs. New York Jets - 8:25pm NFL Network
3 Sept. 22 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 1:00pm FOX
4 Sept. 29 @ Atlanta Falcons - 8:30pm NBC
5 Oct. 6 @ Cincinnati Bengals - 1:00pm CBS
6 Oct. 13 vs. New Orleans Saints - 4:25pm FOX
7 Oct. 20 @ New York Jets - 1:00pm CBS
8 Oct. 27 vs. Miami Dolphins - 1:00pm CBS
9 Nov. 3 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - 4:25pm CBS
10 No. 10 BYE
11 Nov. 18 @ Carolina Panthers - 8:40pm ESPN
12 Nov. 24 vs. Denver Broncos - 8:30pm NBC
13 Dec. 1 @ Houston Texans - 4:25pm CBS
14 Dec. 8 vs. Cleveland Browns - 1:00pm CBS
15 Dec. 15 @ Miami Dolphins - 1:00pm CBS
16 Dec. 22 @ Baltimore Ravens - 8:30pm NBC
17 Dec. 29 vs. Buffalo Bills - 1:00pm CBS
The main points here:
1 Sept. 8 @ Buffalo Bills - 1:00pm CBS
2 Sept. 12 vs. New York Jets - 8:25pm NFL Network
3 Sept. 22 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 1:00pm FOX
4 Sept. 29 @ Atlanta Falcons - 8:30pm NBC
5 Oct. 6 @ Cincinnati Bengals - 1:00pm CBS
6 Oct. 13 vs. New Orleans Saints - 4:25pm FOX
7 Oct. 20 @ New York Jets - 1:00pm CBS
8 Oct. 27 vs. Miami Dolphins - 1:00pm CBS
9 Nov. 3 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - 4:25pm CBS
10 No. 10 BYE
11 Nov. 18 @ Carolina Panthers - 8:40pm ESPN
12 Nov. 24 vs. Denver Broncos - 8:30pm NBC
13 Dec. 1 @ Houston Texans - 4:25pm CBS
14 Dec. 8 vs. Cleveland Browns - 1:00pm CBS
15 Dec. 15 @ Miami Dolphins - 1:00pm CBS
16 Dec. 22 @ Baltimore Ravens - 8:30pm NBC
17 Dec. 29 vs. Buffalo Bills - 1:00pm CBS
The main points here:
- 5 Primetime games, including two straight immediately after the bye.
- Our Thanksgiving weekend game is at Houston.
- Toughest stretch - Weeks 3-6. Sandwiched between two games against the Jets, trips to Atlanta on Sunday Night Football and Cincinnati, and two tough home games against NFC South opponents will be a tough test.
- Easiest stretch - Well, it doesn't exist. There are occasional 2 weeks where you'd expect comfortable wins (Weeks 1-2, Weeks 7-8, and Weeks 14-15). This might be a good thing though, with all the bigger games broken up throughout the schedule.
- Key to the season - Weeks 12 & 13. The AFC is up for grabs in these 2 weeks, with the huge SNF game at home to Denver, followed by a trip to Houston. No doubt these teams, along with the Patriots, will be competing for the #1 seed, and these two weeks could decide it.
In simple terms, it's an awful schedule. We caught the NFC West at a bad time last year, and we'll be catching the NFC South at a similar time. The Saints get Sean Payton back, the Buccaneers (possibly with Darrelle Revis) are full of potential, the Panthers have Cam Newton, and usually come into their own later in the season, and the Falcons also lost in their Championship game, and have Julio Jones AND Roddy White. Scary.
As for the AFC, we play everyone in the North, where 3 of the 4 teams are good enough to compete for the division title, and of course matchups against the Texans and the Broncos. But we're lucky to be in a weak division, who won't be dangerous for the Patriots for a couple of years yet.
So a division title is once again more than likely, but with a tricky schedule ahead, the Patriots will have to be at their best if they want the road to the Meadowlands to go through Gillette.
Let me know what you think about the schedule on Twitter @BrendanAnnely
#BostonStrong
As for the AFC, we play everyone in the North, where 3 of the 4 teams are good enough to compete for the division title, and of course matchups against the Texans and the Broncos. But we're lucky to be in a weak division, who won't be dangerous for the Patriots for a couple of years yet.
So a division title is once again more than likely, but with a tricky schedule ahead, the Patriots will have to be at their best if they want the road to the Meadowlands to go through Gillette.
Let me know what you think about the schedule on Twitter @BrendanAnnely
